The Destruction of the Mind
by GodCan'tSaveTheQueen
Summary: Nightshade is dying, her missing powers the cause. She's diving into the depths of her mind to discover that her enemy is a lot closer to home than she thinks


(AN): Hello Duckies! Thanks to everyone who's read my other story, Misfits. I changed my mind on the Nightshade back story FanFic, but I'm giving you one with her as the main character. I'll try to update both stories weekly! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans. This story is used only for entertainment.

oOo

 **Chapter One**

Cinderblock roared in outrage at the assault of weapons and powers alike smashing into his rocky frame, the resident heroes of Jump City twisting and ducking around him.

Nightshade dodged a blow meant to knock her into a wall, rolling behind an overturned car laying in a compacted heap nearby. She tried to calm her heaving chest at the near-death experience, sighing heavily through her nose.

What was _with_ this guy? They'd been going at this for over thirty minutes, each minute causing more damage to the city and draining more energy.

Halfway through the battle, her powers had decided they were done and refused to work, rudely ignoring her desperate attempts to spark even a small flame.

Robin landed heavily on the ground next to her, his mask narrowing as he gestured to the still raging battle.

"What are you doing back here? We need you out there," He panted, pulling out his bo staff and preparing to charge the monster again.

She nodded, trying to conceal her panic. "Yeah. Yeah. I'm just resting. I'll be back to kick his butt again." She smiled, hoping it looked real.

He raised an eyebrow, searching her face. "Okay. I need you and Star to attack his legs with everything you have," He ordered, leaping up and sprinting away again.

She stared at the cracked pavement, taking deep breaths. She could do this. She was a Titan. She didn't need powers to save the day.

The super-powered teen gulped and ran to Cinderblock's leg, catching Starfire swoop down to join her from the corner of her eye.

Cyborg was blasting Cinderblock's other side, keeping his attention on him instead of the girls aiming at his legs.

Nightshade's feet pounded the ground in time with her frantic heart, her mind racing on what to do. She was too close to back down now. She closed her eyes, bracing herself, and jumped to his rocky leg, willing her flame to return. Nothing happened.

Starfire stopped her attack, looking at her teammate in confusion, withdrawing.

"Are we not attacking?" She questioned, head tilted, looking up at Robin for conformation.

Their leader was preoccupied with beating at Cinderblock's head. Beastboy, who was in falcon form, swept around him in an arch, cawing loudly in an attempt to keep the giant focused on him and not the girls.

Cinderblock grunted, ramming his foot into Starfire's gut, sending the girl slamming violently into Raven. They skidded away in a tangled smoking heap and Nightshade gasped.

 _Come on, Come on. Work you stupid powers._

Again her hands remained ordinary, disinterested in helping.

Cinderblock glared down at Nightshade and flicked her away, her body sailed to the ground with a vicious _crack_. Her head bounced, pain rocketing through her skull. She gasped faintly, weakly trying to heave herself up, coughing up a wad of blood. Her vision swam and she fell to the ground, darkness pressing heavily on her.

oOo

Nightshade blinked, shutting her eyes again at the harsh light of the med bay. She slowly opened her eyelids, shifting upward, hissing at the immediate pain that followed the action.

Her head felt like cotton candy, fluffy and weightless.

What the heck was she doing here?

She hissed again as the pain grew, drifting her fingers lightly over her forehead. The pads of her fingers met the unmistakable feeling of cloth instead of flesh.

She groaned, rolling over to face the window, jumping at the sight of her older sister, Raven, floating calmly in a lotus position.

"Raven?" She choked on her words, her throat dry and aching with thirst.

She clutched her throat and swallowed thickly, reaching with bandaged fingers to grab a glass of water. She took a much needed gulp, the cold liquid soothing her, easing the once boiling pain.

"You're up," Raven stated coldly, violet eyes glaring.

Nightshade folded her arms, huffing out a breath of air, ignoring the searing pain.

"What happened?" She demanded.

Her gaze shifted to her reflection in the glass of a nearby window. Her head was covered in white bandages, and she wore a hospital gown. Her eyes were wild and bloodshot, her skin paler than usual, closer to white than gray.

"Why didn't you tell anyone your powers weren't working?" Raven said instead of answering, her eyebrow raised in accusation.

Nightshade rolled her eyes, looking down at her dirty nails, fiddling with them to avoid her eyes.

"I didn't want to be useless," She muttered, finally looking Raven in the eye.

Her gaze didn't soften like she expected but hardened, mouth pressed in a deep frown.

"What you did was reckless and stupid. You could have been killed or killed someone else. You're lucky all you got was a minor head injury," She snapped, eyes flashing white.

Nightshade looked away guilty, pulling her legs to her chest.

Raven sighed, rubbing her temples, holding out a hand encased in faint blue.

"Just let me heal the rest of your injuries, and we'll discuss this later."

The younger girl leaned forward, allowing Raven's ashen hands to press lightly to her head, the calming blue light soaking into her head, chasing away her blooming headache.

"Friend Nightshade!" Starfire exclaimed from the doorway, flying rapidly to hug her friend, beaming.

A wall of black magic burst between them before the alien princess could crush anymore of Nightshade's bones.

"She's still healing. It would be best if you resisted giving her one of your hugs, Star," Raven monotoned, not looking up from her clipboard.

Starfire smiled sheepishly, clapping her hands. "Oh, dear friend how I missed you!" She cried, bouncing on her toes. "I have a bowl of Get Well pudding awaiting you in the kitchen!"

Nightshade smiled at the girl's enthusiasm, grateful for her thought and care. "Thanks, Star, I'm starved. How long was I out?" She asked, stretching, her joints popping with satisfying cracks.

Starfire's smile fell, her green eyes flickering between Raven and Nightshade. She stared at her boot clad feet, shifting awkwardly, letting her red hair fall to cover her face.

"How long, Star?" Nightshade pressed, forehead scrunched, the sheets tangled between her fisted hands.

It couldn't have been that long. Right?

"Four days," Starfire muttered, ducking her head.

"Four _days_!" Nightshade yelled, the sound echoing around the vast room.

"I made you sleep more. You needed it," Raven explained. "You were wearing yourself out when you tried to use your powers. It was beyond dangerous."

Nightshade glared at her, scowling. "Stop trying to guilt trip me, Raven. I know it was reckless, I know it was dangerous, I know I could have died," She hissed.

Raven blinked, sighing, face betraying nothing. "I'm not trying to guilt trip. I am simply stating facts," She replied easily, eyes boring into her, asking a silent question.

"But now you are awake and well. Is that not something to celebrate?" Starfire chimed in, feeling the heavy tension vibrating between them.

"NIGHTSHADE!" A green blur shot across the floor, knocking her to the down. A green dog had tackled her, licking furiously at her face as she giggled.

Cyborg and Robin followed, greeting her in a much calmer way.

"We need to find the root of this," Robin declared. "We can't have you loosing your powers during a battle again."

"I have no idea why this is happening," Nightshade admitted, petting Beastboy's shaggy dog head.

She felt terrible at being so weak. If she wasn't like this they wouldn't be in this situation. Not to mention the fact that she was about as useful as a newborn child without her powers.

"She's in no condition to search," Cyborg protested, scanning her. "Another uncontrolled burst of emotion could seriously damage your mind."

"Her powers are linked to her emotions," Starfire guessed, tilting her head in thought, tapping her chin.

Cyborg nodded, showcasing his monitor that held her brainwave activity.

"With her powers down she no longer has a grip on her emotions. They're going all over the place and the stress is overwhelming her. If it continues-" He trailed off.

The room was quiet, the thought silencing them into horror filled silence.

"I could die," Nightshade finished, touching her unusually cold skin, finally understanding the weight of what was happening.

She felt sick, her stomach heaving. If she had had food she was sure it would be splattered across the white tile.

"If we don't do this now she'll die. We have to," Raven insisted. "We'll have to go in your mind to find the root of the problem."

Nightshade simply nodded, too stunned at the new information to do anything but the gape at her reflection, not trusting herself to talk in fear that she would let out a sob.

Beastboy gave her cheek one last lick before backing away, morphing back into his regular form.

"I wish you luck, Friend," Starfire called, cupping Nightshade's hands in her own.

Nightshade allowed a small smile before linking fingers with her sister, closing her eyes. Raven muttered multiple incantations under her breath, eyes glowing vibrantly, lips moving in rapid movement, silent spells slipping free of her mouth to ooze thickly around the watching Titans.

"Azarath Metrion ZINTHOS!"

oOo

Nightshade's mindscape was a wide open field of rippling grass and babbling rivers twisting through the rough earth underneath them. The sky was a mixture of deep purples and blues, splashed with a glittering whirl of stars and moons. About one hundred dead trees marked a small path, stretching on into the distance.

A figure with a long black robe sat in the branches of a nearby tree, snuffling and snarling at something in its hands.

"Hey! You!" Nightshade called, waving a hand in greeting, gesturing for them to come down.

The figure gasped, turning towards them, eye wide. She jumped down from the tree, tangling herself in her own robe.

Nightshade frowned, running to pursue her, calling louder. She glanced back, stumbled in surprise, and pumped her legs harder. She burst into flame with a wailing scream, her robe falling limply into Nightshade's outstretched arms.

She stared down at it, turning the rough fabric over, shaking off the layer of dust that clung to it.

"What was that?" She questioned, tossing the robe away. Where it hit, the grass wilted, curling in a blackened mess.

Weird.

She turned to Raven to see the demoness watching the robe with a wary expression, lips pursed in thought. She reached down to brush it, bringing a stray piece of dust to her face to examine it.

"Hmm. I'm not sure. Either an emotion your waking mind refuses to let show or a memory you've erased," She mused, flicking the dust away and surveying the landscape with new suspicion.

Nightshade frowned, finally noticing their surroundings had shifted. The grove of trees was far in the distance, black branches twisting up like claws. They stood at the edge of a cliff, dropping down into a seemingly endless abyss. Thick metal chains sparking with power crossed over it, sealing whatever was inside. A roar reverberated from down below, sinking into Nightshade's skin, causing her to shiver.

She took a step back, reaching for Raven. A clawed, scaled hand swung up to grab Nightshade. The moment it passed the boundary of the chains it incinerated with a screeching howl of pain similar to a dying cat.

 **"Jump. Go ahead. It's safe."**

A voice twisted through her mind, slithering into her ears, caressing her. A siren's call, pulling her steadily to the very edge. All she had to do was jump. . .

Raven's hand gripped her own tightly, a zap of magic pulsing up her arm.

"Stop," She warned, her voice dripping in what sounded like fear.

That couldn't be possible. Throughout their life, Raven had only been afraid of one thing and he was long gone. Whatever was pulling her down couldn't be the same. Right?

"What?" Nightshade mumbled, reaching forward.

Again she was stopped, pulled farther away this time and nudged gently to the ground. Raven's face hovered over her, searching her face, feeling her forehead. Nightshade sighed at the cool of Raven's palm, a sharp and welcome contrast to her burning skin.

"We need to get to your emotions. You're getting worse," She mumbled, kissing her cheek softly.

Nightshade giggled at the sensation, trying to focus. Raven's image kept tilting and spinning, forming two Ravens or sometimes four. She blinked rapidly.

That isn't right. I only know one Raven.

Raven was saying something. But what? She blinked again, hearing restored.

"Close your eyes and clear your mind. Focus on your feelings, will them to come to you," She whispered, fingers splayed on either side of Nightshade's head, rubbing small circles over her hairline.

Nightshade nodded, humming quietly to herself, concentrating.

Emotions...emotions. Uh- come here now? There was nothing but an owls caw, far in the distance. _Hmmm. Okay, that didn't work. Something new then? Maybe... Emotions,_ I demand you show yourselves.

The ground rumbled and shifted, rippling beneath her. She opened her eyes to see the owls in the dead trees taking flight, swarming together and morphing to identical versions of herself.

The chains over the abyss unlocked and a thick haze melted out, growing into a cackling beast. Four red slits split apart the face, stained fangs forming a cruel grin.

It shrunk lower into a form of Nightshade, her hair hacked off above pointed ears. Mud and what looked suspiciously like blood painted her face, clothes ripped and tattered.

A cage of black formed around her, sealing her once again.

An emotion dressed in blood-red moved fluidly to the cage, whispering urgently, arm sweeping over the terrain. Nightshade briefly wondered what she was telling her that needed to be kept so quiet.

The caged one beat at the bars, hideous eyes trained on her, answering in what Nightshade recognized as ancient Azarathian.

"Hate!" A sunset orange-clad Nightshade said calmly, her tone promising punishment.

Hate stepped away with a snarl, a deep growl emitting from her throat.

Sunset stepped forward with a small smile.

"Welcome to your mind! I am Intelligence and these are my sisters," She introduced, gesturing toward the assortment of girls. "You've already met Hate and Rage, the twins." The two girls scowled, Hate glancing at her sister. "I'll let the other emotions introduce themselves."

An emotion in blue attire and a tragically sad face moved forward, sniffing. She burst into tears, sobbing loudly.

"I'm sorry. It's all my fault this happened! I'm so reckless and stupid and now you hare me. I try not to but-"

Raven interrupted her with a small touch of reassurance.

"I'm Sadness," She whimpered, huddling back into the watching crowd.

A yellow dressed one with her hair in pigtails and stickers freckling her face smiled, grabbing Sadness' hand.

"Joy," She giggled, waving wildly to Raven. The Titan raised an eyebrow, giving a small wave back.

A cream Nightshade who looked a lot younger than the others were pushed forward. If Nightshade had to guess she would say she was around eight, shoulders and legs shaking violently. She cowered in the shadows of her taller sisters, avoiding eye contact and glancing at the two twins at the back of the crowd.

"Fear."

A maroon emotion was next, face carved with worry lines. "Regret."

Nightshade winced. She knew that emotion far too well.

A tan clothed one blinked from her spot, shrugging.

"Confusion?"

The girls parted, allowing one in a dark pink flowing gown to walk forward slowly. She seemed a thousand times prettier than Original Nightshade. Her hair settled over her shoulders perfectly, not a hair out of place, neatly brushed and pulled away from her heart shaped face. Her smile lit up the surrounding space, making her sparkling eyes glow.

"Love," She cooed. Her pretty face fell as an emotion sauntered forward in a revealing bikini the exact color as Love's gown. She swung her hips, biting her red lips seductively.

Nightshade blushed, trying to imagine herself actually looking like that.

"Lust," She purred, winking.

More names were said, matched with various Nightshades.

"Disgust." Puke yellow.

"Suspicion." Violet.

"Rude." Orange.

"Annoyance." Turquoise.

"Anxiety." Pale pink.

"Bravery." Purple.

"Lazy." Plum.

"Jealousy." Silver.

"Control." White.

"Strength." Forest green.

"Insecurity." Navy blue.

"Embarrassment." Magenta.

"Greed." Green.

"Bored." Dull brown.

The emotions glanced between each other, whispering.

Hate and Rage shifted simultaneously hissing, their nostrils flaring.

Intelligence cleared her throat, shutting them up.

She clapped her hands, smiling warmly. "Meeting over?" She said quickly.

All the emotions hurriedly morphed into owls, disappearing into their trees.

"Wait! Come back!" Nightshade yelled, leaping to try to catch a fleeing emotion. She squawked, flapping her wings wildly, gray feathers blinding her.

The cage around Rage dispersed, and she grinned in malicious glee, leaping toward Nightshade. The chains wrapped her ankles, slamming her painfully to the ground, dragging her back to the pit.

Nightshade turned away from her, covering her ears but the voice was still there, offering her all her wishes if she just jumped.

Rage screamed louder, thrashing wildly. "Zyptonia! Zyptonia!" She shrieked, her cries cut off by the snap of the chains.

"It has to be that emotion I don't want to show. She wasn't there," Nightshade said once she was sure she couldn't hear the voice anymore.

"We need to interrogate your emotions. They know something you don't," Raven pointed out, eyes traveling around the trees. Her body suddenly crumpled, folding inward.

Nightshade dove to catch her, leaning Raven's head on her shoulder.

"Raven?" She gasped, stumbling slightly at the added weight. Without her super strength, she realized just how heavy things were. And it sucked.

"I'm fine. I forgot that you were trained with the monks, too. Your mind's mental barriers are getting harder to fight," She gasped, pulling herself upward.

Nightshade placed a hand on her back in case she fell again, scrunching her nose. A portal swirled into existence on a nearby tree, ringed in plum.

"I guess Lazy will do," Raven sighed, stepping through.

Nightshade's vision was overwhelmed with a bright light before it faded, revealing a room that looked dirtier than Beastboy's if such a thing was possible.

Trash covered the ground in layers so thick Nightshade had to struggle to remove her foot from it. Mold had replaced paint as the dominant species on the wall. The room was cast in darkness, lit by a single television screen, illuminating Lazy, sprawled on a beanbag chair, anxiously eating chips. Ignoring her namesake she jumped up in surprise as they came into view, searching for an exit.

"Sit," Nightshade growled and Lazy collapsed, sighing thankfully.

"You have noooooo idea how long I've wanted to sit down and just be. . . lazy. She put an order out to everyone to were alert and-" Lazy cut herself off, eyes widening as she took in the fact that she had just let valuable information slip, but settled again, not seeming to care.

"Who's her?" Raven demanded, stepping forward.

Lazy shifted her eyes to stare at Raven, snorting in amusement.

"What's so-" She sucked in a breath, violently convulsing, eyes out of focus.

Nightshade gripped Raven's arms, hugging her to her chest, hugging her in an attempt to still her.

Raven shook more, her magic sparking from her body, eyes glowing white. Nightshade clung tighter, ignoring the tears leaking from her shut eyes, feeling Raven rise in the air, pulling Nightshade with her.

The air popped and Nightshade slammed to the ground, the trash swallowing her.

oOo

Hope you enjoyed it

Not sure if I'll continue

Have a nice day!


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